To create your Chihuly cake, you will need food coloring paste (liquid food coloring may dissolve the fondant), a semi-sticky surface on which to work the fondant (Bette Ricci uses heavy-gauge vinyl she bought at a fabric store), a fondant puff (this is a Handi-Wipe filled with a combination of confectioners' sugar and cornstarch, the corners brought together and twisted), a heavy rolling pin to roll the fondant that covers the cake and a small one to make leaves and decorative shapes, a fondant smoother (it looks like a plasterer's trowel made out of light plastic), a tape measure, a turntable to hold your cake while you decorate it (not a necessity but nice), a small clean paint brush, a fondant leaf-shape cutter (it looks like an oval cookie cutter and a cookie cutter can be substituted), a plastic leaf veiner and a plastic fondant knife (both are used to make markings on fondant decorations).

1.Cover your layer cake with a very thin coating of Buttercream Frosting so the fondant has something to adhere to. The package of fondant will tell you how much you need for the size cake you have. Work quickly with the fondant or it will dry out. You should work on a heavy piece of vinyl. Coat it with a layer of sugar mixed with cornstarch to prevent the fondant from sticking and tearing. Roll the Fondant.

2.To determine the size of the round of fondant needed to cover your cake, measure the height of the cake. Double the height, add it to the diameter of the cake and then add about 2 inches. This is the diameter of the round of fondant you must roll to cover the cake. Use a heavy rolling pin and a lot of muscle. Roll the fondant like you are rolling a pie crust.

3.Start with a disc of fondant and keep it round as you roll. The fondant should end up being about 1/4-inch thick so it's easy to handle. After rolling, use the white plastic fondant smoother to remove any air pockets or bubbles and to make sure it's uniform. If there is an air bubble, you can pop it with a pin and then roll to seal it. Roll the fondant round onto your rolling pin and then lay it over the cake.

4. This is the tricky part: Pull out the fondant sheet from the cake so it's not wrinkled as you use the side of your hand to smooth it down around the cake.

5.Use your fondant smoother to press against the fondant. You can reuse the excess fondant if there is no buttercream on it. Just be sure to cover it right away so it doesn't dry out. Use the fondant smoother to remove any bubbles or air pockets.

6. Use a pastry wheel to cut excess fondant from around the bottom of the cake. By setting the cake on a turntable you will find it is easier to decorate. To tint fondant for making decorations, knead food coloring paste into the white fondant. For striated colors, take pieces of fondant that are already different colors and knead them together.

7.To make a fondant leaf, roll out a bit of green fondant or green/yellow striated fondant with a small rolling pin. Use a fondant leaf cutter to create the shape. Then use the veiner tool to make veins in the leaf and the plastic fondant knife to make cuts in the leaf.

8.You can attach the leaf to the cake by brushing the back of it with water using a clean small paint brush and pressing it onto the cake as desired.